The best of the biters

The new crew has been settling into the good old routine of the BIObus this year, and we’re all excited to get to travel all around the east coast! While we’ve really enjoyed Fundy, we have also been reintroduced to the fieldwork fan base… otherwise known as the female biting insects. The four of us have evaluated which of the biting insects are the worst and the deceptively charismatic deer fly is by far the winner.

The deer fly was the winner of our competition at Fundy National Park.

At a first up-close look the eyes of the deer fly (from the family Tabanidae) are very mesmerizing, but that is only to mislead you. The deer fly has managed to be ahead of its competition by its incredibly adept abilities of constantly teasing you with its loud buzzing, dive-bomb attacks, and unpredictable motions. Unlike its fellow biting friends, the black flies and mosquitoes, deer flies are very visual predators that aren’t easily thwarted by bug spray and lack the anesthetic that numbs the slice of your skin from its maxillae and scissor-like mandibles.

Black flies (family: Simuliidae) and mosquitoes (family: Culicidae) can be fairly effectively deterred with bug spray as they do not depend as much on their eyes and, as such, they are easier to catch if your bug spray is not enough. Black flies have a slightly more aggressive bite as they first anchor into your skin with their laciniae (part of the maxillae) before lacerating capillaries with their mandibles and providing an anesthetic and anticoagulant cocktail through its hypopharynx and feasting through its labrum. Mosquitoes have a similar mouthpart system as the Simuliids, although they have a refined feeding apparatus, which combines all the parts into a proboscis-like needle. Since mosquitoes transmit disease and make a more annoying noise they were granted runner-up to deer flies, in our competition.

Despite our re-introduction to the biting insects, the fieldwork has proven to be very enjoyable! We’ve found a lot of neat insects, especially damselflies and caddisflies, not to mention the plentiful large and beautiful Cercropia moths!

Reflecting on an Amazing Trip

Reflecting on an Amazing Trip

This morning was our last morning on the BIObus. As I travel west back home, I can’t help but reflect on the unforgettable opportunities, breathtaking views and remarkable experiences we experienced, and I am so grateful for this opportunity. The east coast never ceased to amaze me. Each park we travelled to became my new favourite place, and each amazing view we were subject to seemed to outdo the last. As such, it would be impossible for me to pinpoint my absolute favourite moment or part throughout the trip.

My favourite parts about Fundy National Park were the amazing coastal views that appeared suddenly after a small bend in the road, the sites that tested our athletic ability with steep climbs and complex conditions and the small bakery in Alma, selling the most amazing sticky buns and chocolate peanut butter squares. In Kouchibouguac, we were first introduced to dark sky preserves; the stars here shined brilliantly, and it was easy to appreciate them further with the education we received from a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. In PEI, I appreciated the amazing coasts with sands of red that contrasted with the rust coloured sedimentary rocks along the shoreline. We also experienced Canadian history and culture throughout our time spent here. Kejimkujik National Park had Acadian forests and towering Hemlock trees that were different than any other park, and I was impressed with the network of fast flowing streams and brooks that cut through the land. Here I also appreciated the lengths the park went through to protect the endangered Blandings Turtle; signage, massive speed bumps, turtle monitors, and egg protection was abundant each day. In Cape Breton National Park, we travelled along the Cabot Trail every day to get to our sites; driving along and being exposed to the amazing mountainous scenery and the coasts was definitely one of my favourite parts of the whole trip.

The entire BIObus experience has helped to shape my future aspirations and reassured me that I am in the right field of study. During our travels, I was constantly appreciative of the opportunity to work outdoors, and have realized that I want to continue doing research in the field. Working closely with arthropods has affirmed my interest in insects, inspiring me to pursue this field of study in the future, while working outdoors has reassured my love for the environment. I hope to find a career that will allow me to explore and work closely with both.

The most valuable attributes I have learned throughout this experience can be applied to all areas of my life. I have reinforced my belief in working hard and contributing my best effort; field work can be challenging, but also very rewarding when I can assure myself that a job was done to the best of my ability. I have learned that organizational skills will always be important; through labeling specimens and keeping them in order, recording the data correctly and ensuring everything is consistent, I realized that being organized is a vital aspect of conducting any research and should never be overlooked. Finally, I learned the importance of being a part of a team. I fully appreciate the work that my fellow crew members contributed during our trip, and realize how important they were to the success of our collecting. I am very proud to have been a member of this team, and will never forget this amazing experience!